Bathtub



Jan. 19, 1937. R, s KIRKWOQD 2,068,457

BATHTUB Filed Sept. 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l l TTTTTT EYS Jan. 19, 1937. R, 5 KlRKWOOD 2,068,457

BATHTUB Filed Sept. 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1e l N VT WJ/l" wxrNEss ATTORNEYS Patented- Jan.v 19.11937.,

y UNITED STATES BATHTUB u Raymond S. Kirkwood, New Orleans, La; Application September 4, 41936, Serial No. 99,468

` 6 claims.` (ci. .4-173) 'vI'his invention relates to bath tubs and has forvthe primary object the provision of a device of this character having means whereby a person may readily enter or exit from the tub by way of an entrance, obviating customary pracy tice of stepping over the side of the tub to enter and leave the latter, thereby reducing the chances of a person slipping and receiving painful injuries.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a bath tub constructed in accordance-with 2O my invention. i

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the means `for closing th'e entrance to the tub. l

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the closure for the entrance in an open position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view show- -ing a modified form of my invention.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing a type of hinge employed in my modified form of invention. 4 r

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing an insert for the entrance or doorway of the tub so as to cover the stepped faces of the walls of the entrance.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeralgl Aindicates a. bath tub having formed in of one side thereof an entrance 2, the walls of which areprovided with stepped faces 3. The stepped faces 3 have applied thereto ay gasket 4.l Y

' Doorsj5 are hinged to the bottom of thetub I,v

as shownl at B, and the edges of said 'doors have 5 stepped faces 'I to matchthesteppedfaces of ftoclose the doorway leak-proof'connections between the, walls of the tub and the `doors are provided. The adjacent edges of the doors have secured to the inner faces or' th ,doors are'.

the doorway so that when said-'doors' are positioned vstepped faces, as -`shown at 8, so that when the spaced bumpersglll which are adapted to act as supports when the doors are in open position by resting on thebottom of the tub I. Slidable fasteners Il having finger pieces vI2 are carried by the doors and are adapted to engage in keepers 5 I3 secured to the walls of the entrance whereby said doors may be firmly secured in entrance closing position. A latch I3 and keeper therefor is provided for securing the doors together when in entrance closing position. The outer faces of the 10 doors have secured thereto handles I4 and also the outer faces are provided with spaced notches or -sockets I5 either of which may be engaged by the free end of a hingedly mounted platform i6. The platform I 6 is hinged to the floor of 15 the bathroom, as shown at I1, so that when the door is in entrance opening position the platform extends through the entrance giving a person a comparatively broad surface on whichto step when passing through the entrance either 20 when entering or exiting from the tub. The tub may be provided with a flange I8 about the entrance to be engaged by the iioor of the bathroom. When the doors are in entrance closing positionthe platform I6 assumes an upwardly inclined position, as shown in Figure 3, and will gravitate into an operative position when the doors are opened.

Due to the stepped faces between the doors it is necessary that one door be opened prior to 3o the opening of the other door. Also this aplies when closing the doors. The doors when opened rest flatly on the bottom ofr the tub so that a `person stepping from the platform I6 may step upon one door and close the other door and then step onto the bottom of the tub 'while' the latter door is being'closed.

While I have described thev use of double doors for the entrance it is to be understoodthat a single door may be employed and also that the 40 -then be vlifted upwardly relative -to the entrance,

thereby detaching the door from the tub. 'I'he door in this instance is provided with the usual latching means, as shown at 2 I.

A tub constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and as shown in the drawings besides providing maximum safety for a person entering a tub or leaving the latter will provide a tub which can be readily installed or used in comparatively small bathrooms due to the fact that the entrance to the tub when the door or doors thereof are in open position will permit a bathroom door to swing into the entrance when opening thus allowing the bath tub to be positloned in closer proximity to bathroom doors than heretofore possible with the conventional type of tub.

In Figure 7 is disclosed an insert 20' to be positioned in the entrance or doorway of the tub when the door is in an open position. This insert has stepped faces to match the stepped faces of the walls of the entrance and is provided with handles 2|' to facilitate the application and removal of the insert. Also the insert has latch bolts 22 which may be moved into-sockets formed in the Walls of the tub to removably secure the insert to the tub and hold the same against accidental displacement.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A bath tub having an entrance in a wall thereof, a door for the entrance and adapted to swing downwardly and inwardly of the tub to permit a person to enter and exit 'from the tub by way of said entrance, and means for effecting a watertight connection between the door and the tub when the door is in entrance closing position.

2. A bath tub including vertically arranged walls and a bottom wall, one of said vertically arranged walls having an entrance, stepped faces formed on the walls of said entrance, gaskets engaging said stepped faces, one or more doors hinged to the bottom wall and having stepped faces to match the stepped faces of the walls of the tub, and means for releasably securing the door or doors in entrance closing position.

3. A bath tub including vertically arranged walls and a bottom wall, one of said vertically arranged walls having an entrance, stepped faces formed on the walls of said entrance, gaskets engaging said stepped faces, doors hinged to the bottom wall and having stepped faces to match the stepped faces of the walls of the tub, means for releasably securing the doors in entrance closing position, the adjacent edges of the doors having stepped faces to contact each other when the doors are in entrance closing position or when in full entrance opening position, means for releasably securing the doors together, and gaskets positioned between the stepped faces of the doors.

4. A bath tub including vertically arranged accent? walls and a bottom wall. one of said vertically arranged walls having an entrance, stepped faces formed on the walls of said entrance, gaskets engaging said stepped faces, doors hinged to the bottom wall and having stepped faces to match the stepped faces of the walls of the tub, means for releasably securing the doors in entrancev closing position, the adjacent edges of the doors having stepped faces to contact each other when thevdoors arein entrance closing position or in full entrance opening position, means for releasably securing the doors together, gaskets between the stepped faces of the doors, bumpers secured to the inner faces of the doors to engage with the bottom of the tub for supporting the doors in non-entrance closing position.

5. A bath tub including vertically arranged walls and a bottom wall, one of said vertically arranged walls having an entrance, stepped faces formed on the walls of said entrance, gaskets engaging said stepped faces, doors hingedto the bottom wall and having stepped faces to match the steppedv faces of the walls of the tub, means for releasably securing the doors in entrance closing position, the adjacent edges of the doors having stepped faces to contact each other when the doors are in entrance closing position or in full entrance opening position, means for releasably securing the doors together, gaskets to engage the stepped faces of the doors, bumpers secured to the inner faces of the doors to engage with the bottom of the tub for supporting the doors in non-entrance closing position, handles secured to the outer faces of the doors, said outer faces of the doors having notches, and a hngedly mounted platform engageable with either of said notches to extend through the entrance when the doors are in non-entrance closing position and to assume an upwardly inclined position against the doors when the latterare in entrance closing position.

.6. A bath tub including vertically arranged walls and one of said walls having an entrance, a door for closing said entrance, means for detachably connecting the door to the Wall of the tub whereby said door may be swung away from the wall and lifted free thereof, latch means releasably securing the door to the Wall of a tub, and handles secured to the door.

RAYMOND S. KIRKWOOD. 

